[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5851-H5853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHILD CARE IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2020
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 8326) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act
of 1965 to require eligible recipients of certain grants to develop a
comprehensive economic development strategy that directly or indirectly
increases the accessibility of affordable, quality child care, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 8326
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care is Economic
Development Act of 2020'' or the ``CED Act''.
SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.
(a) In General.--Section 302(a)(3)(A) of the Public Works
and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.
3162(a)(3)(A)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' before ``balances resources''; and
(2) by inserting ``, and directly or indirectly increases
the accessibility of affordable, quality child care'' after
``sound management of development''.
(b) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
shall issue guidance on implementing the amendments made by
subsection (a) to include the accessibility of affordable,
quality child care in a comprehensive economic development
strategy developed under section 302 of the Public Works and
Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3162).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr. Rouzer) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
General Leave
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and to include any extraneous material on H.R. 8326.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
There was no objection.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8326, the Child Care is
Economic Development Act, or the CED Act.
Access to childcare is essential to economic development but it is
often ignored in planning. This legislation changes that by making sure
that local Economic Development Districts consider the availability and
accessibility of affordable, quality childcare when creating their
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Job creation is an important part of economic development. But doing
so without considering childcare leaves an enormous blind spot. For
many communities large and small, access to affordable childcare
remains one of the
[[Page H5852]]
largest barriers to job recruitment. If people cannot find quality and
affordable childcare, they may not relocate to a region for a new job
no matter how good the job may be.
A report from the Center for American Progress found that more than
half of American households live in a childcare desert. This is
especially problematic in smaller and rural communities where the rate
of families with childcare deserts grows to three in five households
without adequate childcare.
If our economic development plans don't consider childcare, we are
limiting the type of workforce that is available to compete for jobs
and limiting our economic development and competitiveness. Jobs that
don't work for working families don't work for our communities.
The childcare crisis in our country has been further exacerbated by
COVID-19. As many as 4.5 million childcare slots may be permanently
lost due to COVID-19, further reducing the limited supply of affordable
childcare nationwide. With declining childcare options, many families
are forced to reduce working hours or leave the workforce altogether,
oftentimes leaving women with the greatest share household duties.
Limited childcare availability has for years reduced women's
participation in the workforce, and the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed
that even further. In September alone, four times as many women as men
left the labor force--over 865,000 women in one month alone. And women
and children who have remained in the workforce report reducing their
working hours by 20 to 50 percent to provide childcare services to
their families.
Left unchecked, the childcare crisis, coupled with the COVID-19
pandemic, will reverse decades of progress for women's equity and
opportunity in the workforce, including reducing pay equity and
opportunity gaps.
While there is a lot we need to do to address the childcare crisis in
our country, the CED Act provides us a first step forward by
recognizing the intrinsic connection between economic development and
access to childcare. It allows communities to identify their needs and
strategies and forces an integration of early childhood needs into
broader economic plans.
I am proud to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Financial Services,
Washington, DC, November 13, 2020.
Hon. Peter A Defazio,
Chairman, House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R.8326, the
``Child Care is Economic Development Act of 2020.'' In order
to permit H.R. 8326 to proceed expeditiously to the House
Floor, I agree to forgo formal consideration of the bill.
The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to
forego formal consideration of H.R. 8326 with our mutual
understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration of H.R.
8326, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject
matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our
Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as
this or similar legislation moves forward with regard to any
matters in the Committee's jurisdiction. I appreciate your
commitment to work with the Committee to address any
outstanding issues as the bill is considered in the Senate.
The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of
an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this or similar legislation that
involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your
support for any such request.
Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter
confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of
our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the
Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 8326.
Sincerely,
Maxine Waters,
Chairwoman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Washington, DC, November 13, 2020.
Hon. Maxine Waters,
Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Waters, Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R 8326, the Childcare is Economic Development Act of 2020.
I appreciate your decision to waive formal consideration of
the bill.
I agree that the Committee on Financial Services has valid
jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important
legislation, and I further agree that by forgoing formal
consideration of the bill, the Committee on Financial
Services is not waiving any jurisdiction over any relevant
subject matter. Additionally, I will support the appointment
of conferees from the Committee on Financial Services should
a House-Senate conference be convened on this legislation.
Finally, this exchange of letters will be included in the
Congressional Record when the bill is considered on the
floor.
Thank you again, and I look forward to continuing to work
collaboratively with the Committee on Financial Services on
this important issue.
Sincerely,
Peter A. DeFazio,
Chair.
Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8326 ensures that recipients of Economic
Development Administration grants consider childcare availability as
they develop comprehensive economic development strategies.
These strategies currently incorporate various considerations, and
this legislation would ensure childcare availability is also
considered, which obviously helps women to contribute to the workforce.
I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
{time} 1600
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 8326 will ensure that
childcare availability is incorporated in the economic development
strategies that are required for EDA grants.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary,
Homeland, and Budget Committees, and Founding Chair of the
Congressional Children's Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8326,
the ``Child Care is Economic Development Act''.
First and foremost, I wish to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Abby
Finkenauer, for her leadership on this vital, bipartisan piece of
legislation.
H.R. 8326 requires grant applicants for certain public works and
economic development projects to describe in their comprehensive
economic development strategy how they will increase the accessibility
of affordable, quality child care.
By doing so, this bill makes it easier for child care to be an
essential part of plans for local economic development projects.
The child care industry has served as a crucial backbone to the
United States' economy for decades, and it, too, continues to be rocked
by the devastating effects of the coronavirus.
Mr. Speaker, over the last few weeks, we have seen a tremendous surge
in the number of coronavirus cases across the United States.
As of today, health authorities have identified more than 11 million
COVID-19 cases throughout the United States since the start of the
pandemic in January.
Just last week, my home state of Texas surpassed 1 million cases and
reported over 20,000 related deaths.
At the county level, Harris County, which includes my district, has
reported more than 175,000 cases and over 2,360 related deaths.
Before the pandemic, Texas had more than 11,000 child care
operations.
Yet, as a result of this disease, that number has reduced
dramatically as these facilities have had to permanently close their
doors.
According to a survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center,
nearly two-thirds (63 percent of parents across the United States had
difficulty finding child care amidst COVID-19.
Furthermore, about 47 percent of parents are concerned they won't be
able to afford child care when they can return to the workforce.
As we seek to regain control over this virus and poise our economy to
rebound from the effects of the coronavirus, these closures will,
without a doubt, affect parents and families who need to return to work
yet no longer have a child care provider.
Child care facilities provide an immense and unquestionable public
value.
Workers in every industry rely on child care centers to provide
capable care for their children, helping them juggle both parenting and
employment responsibilities.
The child care industry is even more essential to single parent
households.
In 2019, 15.76 million children lived with a single mother and
approximately 3.23 million children lived with a single father.
For these millions of families, child care is a lifeline.
[[Page H5853]]
I have been a long-standing advocate for the child care industry
because I understand the challenges many working families face when it
comes to obtaining reliable, affordable, and quality child care.
Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have supported numerous
initiatives that strengthen the viability of the child care sector.
Most recently, I supported:
H.R. 7327, the ``Child Care for Economic Recovery Act'';
H.R. 7027, the ``Child Care is Essential Act''; and
H.R. 7909, the ``Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers are Safe
Act''.
Mr. Speaker, I stand here today, voicing my support for H.R. 8326
because it serves as a vital component to our nation's economic
reopening strategy.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, approximately 50 percent
of parents who have not yet returned to work cite childcare as a reason
they have not returned.
By passing H.R. 8326 today, we have the opportunity expand access to
quality child care, so that individuals who are pursuing opportunities
with these public works projects will not have to worry about choosing
between employment opportunities and child care.
I urge all Members to join me in voting for H.R. 8326, the ``Child
Care is Economic Development Act.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cuellar). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton)
that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 8326.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________